Disc-shaped recording media (hereinafter refereed to as optical discs) like CD (Compact Disc) in which optical reading system using light beams is applied have large memory capacity and are random accessible. Since optical reading system using light beams is not required to allow the read head to come into contact with the optical disc, it has the merit that there is no possibility that risk such as head crush, etc., and/or abrasion and/or damage of the recording medium and the head resulting from reading operation may be caused to take place as compared to the contact type recording medium like the magnetic tape.
Since the disc surface of the optical disc is covered by protective film, the optical disc may be rarely damaged by contact of foreign matter, and may also experience, to a little degree, risk such that data is accidentally lost. Optical discs having many merits as stated above are recording media which are not only useful when used as data memory means for information processing unit such as computer, etc., but also are also in excellent data production and/or data preservation.
Hitherto, there are provided recording/reproducing device using recordable optical disc such as CD-R (Compact Disc-Recordable) and CD-RW (Compact Disc-Rewritable). Among such recordable optical discs, there are also some recordable optical discs which are adapted for easily performing write operation complying with the standard format used in the so-called compact disc such as CD-ROM, CD-ROM/XA, CD-I, CD-DA. Disc drive units using such writable optical disc have been mounted into various electronic equipments in place of conventional drive units complying with magnetic tape or magnetic disc, etc.
For example, in digital cameras using CD-R/RW as recording medium, compressed or non-compressed image data are write-once recorded onto medium every photographic operation in conformity with the UDF (Universal Disc Format) standard. Particularly, in the CD-RW, since even if recordable area is lost, recording data is erased so that the CD-RW can be repeatedly used, it is necessary to take deterioration of recording medium into consideration in recording of data.
With respect to repetitive use of the CD-RW, in the specification book (Orange Book part III), it is required to ensure reliability with respect to 1000 times of repetitive recording operations or more. However, in practice, it is said that about the numbers of times of recording and erasing operations are limited to about 300 in dependency upon recording apparatus and/or recording condition, etc. in order that optimum recording state can be maintained. In the case of the digital camera, differently from recording apparatus installed (provided) within a room in use, since recording operation is executed while freely being moved under more rigorous or severe environment, repetition life of the recording medium would be further lowered.
In the optical recording system, since occurrence of error at the time of write operation is inevitable in principle, plural steps for restoring (recovering) error produced are prepared. Even in such digital cameras, verify/confirm processing of recording data is performed every time of photographic operation and recording operation to execute error detection and correction by CIRC, etc. with respect to recording data, whereby when error which cannot be restored (recovered) is detected, rerecording operation is performed, or the like to ensure reliability with respect to data recording.
There is provided a function such that in the case where even if rerecording is executed, error is detected for a second time, display to the effect that recording cannot be normally conducted is performed to hasten exchange of recording medium, etc.
In the above-described digital cameras, in recording such image data after image pick-up operation, error detection can be executed by error detecting operation, whereas even if “recording error” is alarmed (warned) at the stage of recording thereof, it is difficult for user to prepare new medium. If image data cannot be recorded by error warning, not only there would result obstacle to use of the digital camera, but also precious image data picked-up immediately therebefore might be lost.